Verona Takes Centre Stage in Shakespeare-In-Between: Romeo & Juliet

Shakespeare-In-Between: Romeo & Juliet

Shakespeare-In-Between: Romeo & Juliet Rating

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Romeo and Juliet, famously, only had eyes for each other. But what about the rest of poor old Verona? Enter ‘Shakespeare-In-Between: Romeo & Juliet’. In a new play created by Scott Jackson and Sorcha Breen, the townspeople of Verona are plucked straight from the margins of Romeo and Juliet’s romance and into the spotlight, revealing the hidden tensions, messy relationships and unlikely friendships across feuding houses.

As the Bard himself would say, ‘All the world’s a stage,’ and for this show, it couldn’t be truer. Set outdoors among flowering gardens, brisk breezes and the striking silhouette of a Victorian bluestone church, ‘Shakespeare-In-Between: Romeo & Juliet’ offers a little slice of Renaissance Italy in South Melbourne. Nature plays a leading role in fair Verona’s story: golden sunsets bathe star-crossed dallies, giving way to eerie twilight skies and the darkness of nightfall as misfortune and grief take hold. In a town doomed by the narrative, the passing of day only made it all the more inevitable.

Admittedly, my ‘Romeo & Juliet’ knowledge was a bit dusty going in. High school English and a few blockbuster flicks left me with only the broad strokes (boy meets girl, mum and dad disapprove, preventable tragedy ensues). For proper buffs, following along might have been a real ‘Shakespeare in the Park’, but I found myself losing the thread here and there. Perhaps a narration of some sort could have helped us novices stay on track with the plot – though to be fair, it’s one of the most famous plays ever written, so that might be on me.

 

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, even when I couldn’t quite place their original roles. And there were plenty of them too! The small cast of nine took on some thirty parts, juggling a number of personalities at the drop of a velveteen doublet.

Underexplored characters flourished in ‘Shakespeare-In-Between: Romeo & Juliet’: Rosaline (Seon Williams) reclaimed her role with headstrong resolve, while Peter, the bumbling butler (Scott Middleton), provided plenty of comic relief. The Nurse (Helen Hopkins) was delightfully extra, and Paris (Oscar Morphew) hilariously daft.

Meanwhile, familiar figures like Lady Capulet (Renee Palmer), Lord Capulet (Myles Tankle), Tybalt (Jett Chudleigh), Mercutio (William Hassal), and his companion Balthazar (Wolfgang Reed) brought depth and loads of charisma to their roles, commanding attention with every appearance. Together, their portrayals offered a compelling glimpse behind the curtain of the tragic teen tryst – and the destruction left in its wake.

‘Shakespeare-In-Between: Romeo & Juliet’ brings together a versatile cast of actors, comedians, musicians – even swordfighters (seriously, I’m expecting swordfights in every play now). Their talent packed into one cohesive, dynamic ensemble made for a fantastic showcase of Melbourne’s independent theatre scene. Bravo!

Pack thy best picnic blanket and join the good people of Verona for an evening of wit, music and top-notch live theatre. ‘Shakespeare-In-Between: Romeo & Juliet’ is playing at St Kilda South Port Uniting Church until November 23 – to miss it would be a tragedy.

To book tickets, please visit https://events.humanitix.com/shakespeare-in-between-romeo-and-juliet

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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Global Smash Club: A Full-Throttle Cabaret Spectacle

Finucane & Smiths Global Smash Club

Finucane & Smith’s Global Smash Club Rating

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5

Exuding colour, light, and all things sublime, Finucane & Smith’s ‘Global Smash Club’ celebrates its 20th anniversary exactly as it came into the world: with a glorious bang.

Opening night at Trades Hall saw the ETU Ballroom bursting with talent, as icons of Melbourne’s art and theatre scene took to the stage for an hour of cabaret, spectacle, and daring subversion. At the helm, Moira Finucane – Fringe legend and co-creator of the original ‘Burlesque Hour’ – isn’t one to shy away from making a mess. Her performances tore through the boundaries of convention with wild abandon and dubious liquids, stirring the pot in ways that left the crowd gasping for more (and more and more).

 

Performance art legend Maude Davey transformed the ballroom into a high-voltage dive bar with powerhouse vocals, off-the-charts energy, and a healthy side of rock and roll. Her cheeky acts blended classic burlesque with a contemporary edge, and were just so cool (seriously, Aussie-BBQ-meets-showgirl should be compulsory viewing).

Yumi Umiumare, the undisputed goddess of dark fever dreams, served up her signature whiplash concoction of surreal dance, twisted comedy, and Butoh, luring the crowd to the edge of reality with spellbinding intensity. The way her intricate costumes moved and flowed under her precise control was as hypnotic as it was impressive.

Sharing the stage with these powerful headliners was a dazzling ensemble of stars. Unforgettable performances from Mama Alto, Piera Dennerstein, Imogen Kelly, Zitao Deng, and Xiao Xiao suspended the crowd between moments of breathless awe and unbridled laughter. The evening’s magic was punctuated by a special appearance from Yorta Yorta Taungurung Wiradjuri elder and artist Glennys Briggs and country musician Ian Muir. With live music and art filling every corner, the show was an all-encompassing, neon-drenched seduction of the senses.

 

What makes ‘Global Smash Club’ truly irresistible, however, is the bold individuality of its performers. Each act overflows with personality, effortlessly balancing artistic expression and unhinged absurdity. If you’ve got a good sense of humour and don’t mind a bit of provocation, this will do you just fine. As for me, the odd fish that I am, I felt right at home in the chaos – though it still got a few dropped jaws out of me! By the end, I left no less than obsessed and hopelessly in love with the beautiful madness of it all.

‘Global Smash Club’ has everything you never knew you needed – cabaret, karaoke, the possessed demonic spirit of Hello Kitty. It’s a lucky dip of performance art that can’t be pinned down, and you either get with it or get left behind. Defying reason and transcending both genre and gender, this show asks: why be normal when you can be gloriously indecent instead? It’s cheeky, saucy, and it’ll leave you soaking wet (literally).

As a passionate farewell to this year’s Melbourne’s Fringe Festival, ‘Global Smash Club’ is more than just a show; it’s a sweaty, sexy homage to a powerful movement that refuses to simply survive – it thrives in all its naked glory. Catch it this weekend only at Trades Hall – satisfaction guaranteed.

For further information on Finucane & Smith, please check out: https://www.finucaneandsmith.com/

Photographer: Max Roux

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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KINDER Surprises: Where Drag Show Meets Storytime

KINDER

KINDER Rating

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‘The library is open. So sit down, be quiet, and listen up.’

Just around the corner from Melbourne’s Fringe hotspot, Trades Hall, producer and actor Ryan Stewart presents their debut show ‘KINDER’ – and between you and me, I’m all in for Goody Prostate’s message.

When an unexpected phone call turns drag clown Goody Prostate’s evening upside down, they’re left with just a single night to whip up the perfect act for a local library. Amid frantic costume changes and a rising tide of existential dread, Goody faces more than just pressure to perform – they juggle protests and politics, history and herstory, fruit loops and family. What begins as a whirlwind of colour, music, and fashion soon unravels to reveal a long-overdue reconnection with their inner child.

‘KINDER’ serves up a provocative response to the rise in reactionary politics surrounding children’s exposure to queerness. It’s a bold, high-wire act of queer history and social commentary, wrapped up in what can only be described as a drag-show-turned-revelation. The show explores themes of conformity, the complexities of the queer experience, and the importance of community care as Goody grapples with a deep sense of responsibility to nurture that in the next generation.

Ryan Stewart is a force to be reckoned with as the kooky, lovable, delightfully unhinged Goody Prostate. From slapstick one-liners to disarming bursts of vulnerability, Stewart navigates each of Goody’s highs and lows with a well-timed flick of their fan. Watching Goody’s mask slip, transforming from performer to person, is as poignant as it is wonderfully human. The intimacy of the space only intensifies the feeling – when Goody locks eyes with you from the centre of the room, you’re no longer part of the audience; you’re part of the story.

And Goody’s story resonated throughout the room that night. There was laughter, there were tears – it was a shared journey, with Goody reflecting emotions we all knew well: joy, pain, estrangement, liberation. This is what really struck me most about ‘KINDER’, this sense of community. There was no better place to be than right there in that chaotic, messy apartment, where both performer and audience shared complete understanding. This is the true power of theatre: to strip away the pretence and lay bare the raw, glittering heart of the human condition.

That’s not to say it wasn’t oodles of fun, too! Armed with a bubble gun and bedazzled lederhosen, Goody Prostate is unstoppable. Stewart strikes a perfect balance between introspection and laugh-out-loud hilarity – clowning around, bursting into song, and tearing through costumes like a kid let loose in a dress-up shop. It was a bedroom-floor fashion riot, and I loved every second of it.

Parenthood, childhood, the inner child – ‘KINDER’ explores it all. It’s about being a child, knowing a child, and nourishing the child you once were (or never got to be). It’s a celebration of never fully growing up while trying to be the grown-up you always needed. ‘KINDER’ isn’t just a performance; it’s a love letter to the self.

And what a way to kick off this year’s Melbourne Fringe! You can catch ‘KINDER’ at Trades Hall until October 6th, and if you can’t make it this weekend, no worries – Goody will be taking the stage next weekend at Upstairs @ Floridia in Flemington.

Check out ‘KINDER’ here: melbournefringe.com.au/event/kinder

Remaining Sessions:-
Sunday, 06 October 2024 – 8:00pm – Festival Hub: Trades Hall – The Square
Sunday, 13 October 2024 – 6:45pm – Upstairs @ Floridia
Sunday, 20 October 2024 – 6:45pm – Upstairs @ Floridia

For more information about the artist, please follow https://linktr.ee/arypresentation

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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The Ransom Letter: A Play Reading Dressed to Impress

The Ransom Letter

The Ransom Letter Rating

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5

With actors and attendees alike dressed in their best 1920s glad rags, Marty MonStar’s “The Ransom Letter” transformed an intimate North Melbourne venue into a night of mystery, intrigue, and roaring fun.

“The Ransom Letter” follows private detective Joan Archer as she navigates crime, corruption, and depravity in 1920s Melbourne, all with her trusty gold revolver in hand. When Joan is caught in the midst of a political scandal, she must outsmart powerful players to win the game of survival. But Joan isn’t a successful private detective for nothing – she’s always one step ahead.

I felt very much like a film noir star myself as I slipped in from the rain and shook out my umbrella in the red neon lights of Club Voltaire. With the smoke machine on full blast, lights low, and Bessie Smith crooning over the speakers, the space had been transformed into a Jazz Age speakeasy. On stage, a single pendant bulb illuminated a candlestick telephone, a pack of cigarettes, and two chairs – Joan’s domain.

Play readings are often a fairly static affair, which I have no complaints about, but I’ll admit it was still pretty refreshing to see “The Ransom Letter” take it a step further, immersing the crowd with music, a set, and costumes. It gave us in the audience a little taste of the finished production and that extra touch is something I wouldn’t mind seeing more often!

Katrina Mathers played Joan with grace and humour, dishing out zingers and serving up whiskey (neat, of course). The play reading was narrated by David Macrae who, alongside Hélène Tardif, Ian Rooney, and Jonathan Griffiths, effortlessly juggled multiple roles, bouncing from stuttering suits to swanky flappers with ease. Their performances added a vibrant energy to the play, giving it charm and keeping the audience – and themselves, judging by a few off-script giggles – thoroughly entertained.

The baddie of the play, Prime Minister Howie, seems cheekily modelled after Australia’s former PM Billy Hughes, who was the founder of a couple of pretty notorious political parties. With this in mind, it’s easy to imagine what his character might be like. Ian Rooney brought Howie to life with a big personality, plenty of sleaze, and colourful language to match. Watching Joan and Howie’s frequent standoffs was a particular highlight for me – just picture two bulls butting heads, and you’ve got it.

As “The Ransom Letter” moves towards production, it’s clearly chock-full of potential. I’d love to see the main plot take centre stage from the get-go, giving that noir-esque suspense more room to build gradually. Joan’s persona shines naturally through her actions, and allowing the story to reveal the depth of her character lurking beneath her snazzy facade would add even more nuance to her role. The combo of film noir tropes and quintessential Australian humour made for an unexpected niche, but one that worked brilliantly; I hope they continue to lean into it.

“The Ransom Letter” was saucy, irreverent, and a little cheesy in all the ways the best film noirs are. I look forward to seeing it transform into a fully-fledged, glitz-and-glamour production. When the time comes, you’ll definitely find me returning in my best flapper dress and pearls.

Photography by H Long Nguyen Tran and Nelly Huang

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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